Telegraph system



Dec. 22, 1942. F. H.- HANLEY TELEGRAPH SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. l2, 1941 IMI Dec. 22, 1942. Y F. H. H ANLE'Y 2,306,214

TELEGRAPH SYSTEM y Filed Nov. 12, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTO i .BY WWW? f ATToRNEY Patented Dec. 22, i042 TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Frank Harold Hanley, Butler, N. J., assigner to American Telephone and Telegraph Company, a corporation of New York Application November 12, 1941, Serial No. 418,695 claims. (c1. 17e-Q69)y This invention relates to arrangements for locating or indicating short interruptions or hits on electrical circuits.

One of the applications of the invention may be in connection with telegraph circuits wherein the arrangements of the invention may be connected to the receiving relay so as to locate or detect short interruptions or hits which might be caused by any false movement of the armature from the marking contact of the relay, While the circuit is quiet or While incoming signals are being received.

Certain types of hit indicators, heretofore used, have been designed to operate ecently when associated with a telegraph line having certain types of potential connected to the contacts of the receiving relay, as for example, negative potential for the marking contact and positive potential for the spacing contact. It has been found that this type of hit indicator may not function properly if these potentials, as is sometimes the case, are reversed, as for example, with positive potential for the marking contact and negative potential for the spacing contact. Itis the primary object of this invention to provide a hit indicator which will function eciently. regardless of the polarities of the batteries used for the marking or spacing contacts of the receiving relay. In other Words, it is the object of the invention to provide a hit indiv' cator which Will function eiiiciently if positive battery is connected to the marking conta-ct and negative battery is connected to the spacing contact of the receiving relay or vice versa. A further object of the invention is to provide a hit indicator which, when connected to a telegraph line, will automatically prepare itself for functioning Without the necessity of the manual operation of switching means necessary in certain arrangements of the prior art. Other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the detailed description thereof hereinafter given.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 of which the invention is illustrated. Figure 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a hit indicator of the prior art. In Fig. 2 is shown a circuit diagram illustrating the hit indicator of this invention. Similar reference characters have been utilized to denote like parts of both of the figures.

In Fig. 1 is shown a hit indicator A ter minating in a jack J1 at a telegraph testboard.

Two telegraph repeaters Band C are shown, each having a sending relay SR and a receiving relay RR. The telegraph repeater B has the armature of its receiving relay connected through a 30,000 ohm resistance to a jack J2 terminating at the telegraph testboard, and the telegraph repeater C has the armature of its receiving relay connected through a 30,000 ohm resistance to the jack J3 at the telegraph testboard. Most telegraph oices are provided at the testboard with hit indicators which give hit or direc- Y tion of transmission indications by means of meters. Obviously it is necessary to watch the meters continuously to detect the presence of hits. consist of the aforementioned connections Von each telegraph repeater to the jacks such as J2 and- J3 located at the telegraph testboard. The meters are provided in the testboard and are associated With the telegraph repeaters by means of cords and plugs. It is desirable that the metersalways deilectin the same direction, say to the right, for a marking signal. Some telegraph repeaters will have lnegative battery for marking and positive battery for spacing as, for example, telegraph repeater B. Other telegraph repeaters such as C may have positive battery for marking and negative battery for spacing. In order that the meters will always defiect in the same direction, say to the right, fora marking signal, it is necessary to wire the hit indicator leads differently at the jacks at the testboard for different battery conditions. For example, the hit indicator lead from telegraph repeater B, Which has negative battery for marking and positive battery for spacing, will be Wired to the tip of jack J2. The hit indicator lead for telegraph repeater C, which has positive battery for marking and negative battery for spacing, will be Wired to the sleeve of jack J3. With such any arrangement, when meters are used, the meters Will always deflect in lthe same direction Vfor a marking signal. As heretofore pointed out, it is necessary to Watch the meters continuously to detect the presence of hits Accordingly, it is at times desirable to utilize a hit indicator of the type shown at A instead of a meter. The hit indicator A indicates the presence of a hit on the line by voperating and locking up a visual signal such as the lamp L. It has been found that a hit indicator of the type shown at A will function eiciently When connected to a repeater such as B `which has, for example, negative battery for marking and positive battery for spacing The hit indicators employing metersy connected to the tip of jack J2. However, if

such a hit indicator should be connected to The operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is as follows:

If the hit indicator A.s. ,to be connected .to the telegraph repeater B, plugP1 of (the cord will be inserted in jack J1 and plug P2 of the cord will be inserted in jack J2. The insertion of plug P1 in jack J1 will close a'circuit from rground, upper armature of jack J1, over conductor winding of relay 2 to battery and ground, there- -by operating relay 2 even though no signalsare being received on that repeater. vThe interconnection of jacks J1 and J2 by the cord circuit will connect the negative markingbattery connected rto the armature -of the receiving relay of repeaterB to the following cir-cuitzarmature of the receiving relay of repeater B,'30,000ohm resistance 3, tip contacts ofjack J2and vp1ug'l='2,tip contacts of plug P1 vand yjack J1, conductoryd, condenser 5, to the right-hand electrodeof gas- ;lled tube T. The left-'hand electrode of ygaslled tube T is connected to,` ground. yThe'applicationof this voltage to condenser lwill cause the gas-filled tube T to `break down and fdischarge. This will complete the following fcircuit: from ground, left-hand electrode of `tube T, middleelectrode of tube T, conductor M(ifconing of ,relay 9, conductor |9, armature'an'd contact of ,relay v2 to battery I I andground. 'This will operate the relay 9 and close'the -following circuit: from ground, battery |2,,lowerarrnature and contact of relay 9conductors |3 and -|4, lower contact of jack J1,.conductorIi-filament of lamp L to ground, thereby operating l,the lamp L.' The testboard 4attendant will'then operate ythe restoring key K momentarily. Thiswill'connect ground overthemake contacts of key K to conductor I6, upper armature` and contact of relay 9, conductor I1, windingof'relay'l togbattery and ground, thereby .operating relayil. l,The operation of relay V'l will .break the previously 'traced circuit through thegaS-lled tube T and the relay 9.

The Ybreaking `of ,that `circuit ,will cause relayv 9 to release, therebyybreaking the previously4 traced circuitfor relay v|. Thisrelay is a slow,release-relayandafter.ashort interval it will release andextinguish theilamp L. vThe condenser 5 willnowhave .avpositive vcharge on its upper plate and a negative ,charge on 'its lower plate. .Should a hit ,no w'occur onthe .line connected to the receivinglelay .of telegraph repeaterB, the armatureof ,said relay will move .to its spacing Vcontact, to which is connected positive battery. This positive ,batrtery will 4then be connectedover-.the previously traced circuit vto Vcondenser '5 reversing the charges on its plates. .During this reversal of chargethe voltagedrop across resistance .35 will 4cause the gas-filled tube-and-relay 9, as previously described, .to operate, jtherebylighting ,the lamp Lto indicate to the ,testboard attendant -that .a

hit has occurred Aon the line connected toftelegraphrepeater B. Accordingly, `vthe hitindicator A will function efficiently to indicate a .to the-sleeve-conductor of plug P3. `at jack,J1.only.,ground will be applied to the tip yconductor hijack-J1 and 13D-volt positive batysleeve of a jack such as J3 at the testboard, it

will be seen that the tip conductor of plug P2 will be connected to the tip conductor of jack J3, which will be connected to ground. The 130- volt positive marking battery will be connected Accordingly,

tery willbe applied to the sleeve of jack J1, which is not connected to anything. Accordingly, the Agasi-iillegd tube T will not operate and the hit indicator A will not function.

Let it be assumed that the hit indicator A of Fig. 2 is connected to a'telegraph repeater such as B by inserting plug -P1 into jack J1 'and plug P2 into jack J2. Under these conditions negative marking battery will be applied to the armature -of the receivingrelay of repeater B and thence over the following path: 30,000-ohm resistance 3, tip contacts of jack J2 and plug P2, tip contacts of plug P1 and jack J1, conductor 30,000-ohm resistance I3, conductor I9, armature and contact of relay 2to battery and ground. Relay 2 will have been operated lby the insertion of plug P1 into jack J1 byconnection of ground to the upper contact of 'jack 'J1 and thence through thewinding of relay 2V to battery :and ground. Thus-at point 2| we'willhavgapplied a negative-voltage from the lo-yoltbattery'connected to the marking lcontactpf "the receiving relay of repeater B, 'and ywe will 'also' have applied at point 2| a positive voltage of 130 volts from the battery 20. Accordingly lhepotential at point 2| will be ,approximately zero. 'Ground will be applied from the sleeve contactftojack J2 and plug P2, and sleeve contacts of V,plug P1 andjack J1 over conductor 22, .30,000-ohmresistance 23, to the negative'pole of'130-voltbattery 24 to ground. Accordingly, the voltage at point 25 will be approximatelyzero. ,Point12l is connected tothe upper electrode ,of .gas-jlled tube T andpoint .25 isconnected to-the lower electrode ofgas-rllled tube T. Hence, therewi1l be no voltage across the electrodes and thetube will not operate. If a hit should now occur, ,or if signals should `be received, on the line `connected to the receiving relay of the telegraph-repeater B, its armature willmove Ito its vspacing .contact which is connectedto ,thepositivepole of a battery of 130 volts. Accordingly, apositive potential from said battery will now be applied to point 2|, and a positivepotential isapvplied to point 2| from the battery 20. will cause the gas-filled tube to break .down and :com-

plete the following circuit: from ground.. applied from the cord circuit to conductor22, lower and ,middle electrodes of gas-filledltube Tconductor 23, contact and armature of -relayfLconductor 24, winding of relay 9, conductor |-0, armature and contact of relay 2 tovbattery 29,and ground. This will operate relay 9 and close the following circuit: from ground battery v|2, -lower' armature and contact of relay 9, conductors l3 `and |4, lower contact of jack J1, conductor |,51a ment of lamp L to ground, ,thereby operating lamp L. Y Y

The attendant will then momentarily operate restore key K. If the operation of the lamp was due to a hit the operation of the key will operate relay 'l to break the previously traced circuit through-the gas-filled tube T and the relay S. The breaking of that circuit will cause relay 9 to release thereby breaking the previously traced circuit for relay l. 'I'his relay is a slow release relay and after a short interval it will release and extinguish the lamp L and the attendant will know that there has been a hit on the line connected to the receiving relay of telegraph repeater B. If the operation of the lamp was due to a change in direction of transmission in signals being received on the receiving relay of telegraph repeater B, the operation of the circuit is the same as that described above eX- cept that each time the lamp is lighted by the operation of relay 9, it will be automatically restored by the release of relay '1, Thus the flashing of the lamp during the interval the restore key K is held operated will indicate to the attendant that the circuit was initially operated by a change in direction of transmssion instead of a hit.

Assume now that the hit indicator A' is connected to a telegraph repeater such as C. Under these conditions positive battery of 130 volts connected to the marking contact of the receiving relay of repeater C will be connected to the following circuit: armature -of the receiving relay of repeater C, through a 30,000-ohm resistance to the sleeve of jack J3, sleeve contact of plug P3, sleeve contact of plug P4, sleeve contact of jack J1, conductor 22, 30,000-ohm resistance 23 to the negative poleof battery 2d and thence to ground. Accordingly at point 25 there will be applied from battery 24 a negative voltage of 130 volts and there will also be vapplied a positive voltage of 130 volts from the battery connected to the marking contact of the receiving relay of repeater C. Accordingly the voltage at point 25 will be zero. Ground will be connected from the tip conductor of jack J3, tip conductor of plug P3, tip conductor of plug P4, and tip conductor of jack J1 to conductor Il. Accordingly, there will be applied to point 2l a zero voltage. As point 2l is connected to the upper electrode of the gas-lled tube 'I' and point 25 is connected to the lower electrode of said tube, the tube will not operate. Assume now that a hit occurs on the line connected to the receiving relay of telegraph repeater C. This will move the armature of said relay to its spacing contact. Accordingly a negative voltage of 130 volts will be applied from the spacing contact over the previously traced path to point 25. As the nega.- tive pole of 13G-volt battery 24 is also connected to point 25, this will cause the tube to break down and operate the previously traced circuitfor relay The function of the hit indicator will then be substantially the same as heretofore described when it was connected to the telegraph repeater B.

Accordingly, it will be seen that the hit indicator A will function properly no matter Whether it is connected to a telegraph repeater of the type shown as B or when it is connected with a telegraph repeater of the type shown as C. Furthermore, the mere connection of the hit indicator A to either of the telegraph repeaters shown, conditions it for operation without the necessity of iirst operating the key K and releasing it,

While the invention has been disclosed as embodied in certain specific forms which are deemed desirable, it is understood that it is capable of embodiment in many and other widely varied forms without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph system, a rst telegraph repeater including a receiving relay having an armaturel cooperating with marking and spacing contacts to which are connected positive and negative batteries respectively, a second telegraph repeater including a receiving relay having an armature cooperating with marking and spacing contacts to which are connected negative and positive batteries respectively, and an alarm circuit adapted to be connected to either of said relay armatures and comprising a translating device and an alarm controlled thereby, said alarm circuit being so arranged that said translating device will not be operated when said alarm circuit is connected to either of said relay armatures and said armature is on its marking contact but will be operated when said armature is on its spacing contact.

2. In a telegraph system, a device for indicating hits on telegraph lines comprising a translating device and an alarm controlled thereby, switching means having tip and sleeve contacts, and circuit arrangements connecting said contacts to said translating device, said circuit arrangements being such that said translating device will be inoperative when positive potential is applied to said sleeve contact and ground is applied to said tip contact and said translating device will be operated when negative potential is applied to said sleeve contact and ground is applied to said tip contact.

3. In a telegraph system, a device for indicating hits on telegraph lines comprising a translating device and an alarm controlled thereby, switching means having tip and sleeve contacts, and circuit arrangements connecting said contacts to said translating device, said circuit arrangements being such that said translating device will be inoperative (1) when negative potential is applied to said tip contact and ground is applied to said sleeve contact and (2) when positive potential is applied to said sleeve contact and ground is applied to said tip contact and said translating device will be operated (3) when positive potential is applied to said tip contact and ground is applied to said sleeve contact and (4) when negative potential is applied to said sleeve contact and ground is applied to said tip contact.

4. In a telegraph system, a device for indicating hits on telegraph lines comprising a normally inoperative gas-filled discharge tube, a jack having tip and sleeve contacts, a rst circuit completed over the contacts of said jack and the electrodes of said gas-filled discharge tube, a second circuit controlled by said rst circuit and completed through said jack, a signaling device in said second circuit, and means associated with said jack contacts and tube and so arranged that when negative potential is applied to said tip contact and ground to said sleeve contact the voltage applied to said tube will be insuicient to cause it to break down and complete said rst circuit,` but when positive potential is applied to said tip contact and ground to said sleeve contact, the voltage applied to said tube will be sufficient to cause it to break down and complete said iirst circuit.

. 5. In va telegraph system, a device ,for .Vindi- 4eating ,hits on telegraph ;lines -comprising a normally inoperative gas-filled discharge tube, a

jack having tip and sleeve contacts, arst circuit completed over the contacts of said jack 5 and the electrodes of saidfgas-lled rdischarge tube, a second circuit controlled by said first circuit `and completedthrough said ljack, a signaling device in saidA second circuit, and means associated with said jack contacts and said `tube l0 applied to said sleeve contact and ground to said tip Contact the voltage applied. to said tube will be insucient .to cause it to break down and complete said rst circuit,.but when negative potential is applied to said sleeve contact and ground ,to said tip contact, the voltage applied to saidtubetwill be suflcientl to cause it to break down and complete said first circuit.

FRANK HAROLD HANLEY. 

